Medical Student Research Project

Dr. George Harrell, the founding Dean of the Penn State College of Medicine, established the Medical Student Research (MSR) program as an integral part of the curriculum. The purpose of the MSR program is to promote, through a mentored research project, the development and application of critical thinking and problem solving skills that are fundamental to the integration of medical science and clinical care.

Students gain an understanding of the research process, limitations and variability of data, and the translation of research and critical thinking skills to clinical practice. We expect our students to be able to articulate a relevant research question, decide on appropriate methods to address the question, collect and analyze the data, reach proper conclusions, and write a scientific report summarizing their work, including implications for further inquiry and/or clinical practice.